Brain-computer interface makes clinical trial breakthrough

A video released showing an amputee playing a video game after undergoing brain-computer interface (BCI) surgery. (Screenshot photo)

(ECNS) -- A Shanghai-based medical technology firm has released a video showing an amputee playing a video game after undergoing brain-computer interface (BCI) surgery.

The patient, who lost all four limbs in a high-voltage electrical accident, received the implant surgery at Shanghai's Huashan Hospital, affiliated with Fudan University on March 25.

Two flexible electrodes, each only one percent the thickness of a human hair, were implanted into his brain through minimally invasive surgery and connected to a coin-sized implant embedded in his skull. This enables his brain to wirelessly transmit signals to external devices and convert neural activity into computer commands.

After more than one month of training, the patient is now able to control a computer with his mind and play games including car racing and chess.

This surgery made it the second company globally, after Elon Musk-backed Neuralink, to reach the clinical trial stage for invasive BCI technology and prepare for clinic application.

The implant has a diameter of 26 millimeters and a thickness of less than 6 millimeters, making it the world's smallest brain-control implant—about the size of a coin.

The patient was trained to control electronic devices, learning to operate a cursor on smart phones, tablets, and computers in this test. In the next step, he will attempt to control smart devices like robotic arms and wheelchairs, and perform tasks like grasping objects in real life. The entire training period is expected to last between three to six months, said Zhao Zhengtuo, founder of StairMed.

The company is expected to recruit 30 to 40 participants early next year and launch the product around 2028.

(By Li Yan)